Riddick: Bloodhounds
by zzetta13
Summary: An old bounty hunter with a new crew attempts to discover the location of a past adversary (Riddick). What will happen if he finds him? Riddick is familiar with the chase and being hunted, thing is, who is hunting who? Story scenario is a continuation a few months after Riddick 3.
1. Chapter 1

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds**_

_**Chapter 1: The Bait **_

Author's notes: Found myself at the latest offering of Vin Diesel and David Twohy's , _**Riddick 3**_ movie. Loved it, and as such, the show made me want to pursuer this universe further. This new story arc let's say, happens to continued three months or so after the last movie (_**Riddick: Rule the Dark)**_ so if any reader of this work has not seen _**Riddick 3**_, then be advised that there may be spoilers ….. And my caution is for you to see the movie first (and bedazzled) before continuing. I hope that you find this story worth reading…Z (and, as always my stories are filled with AU & OC).

Secondary note: In trying to keep true to how David Twohy writes, Riddick: Bloodhounds is presented in a way as to suggest how the author may envision things. My perception of how he might continue on to the next chapter. I see Twohy as continuing the story in this fashion. There will be aspects of the story written below that will involve Riddick conveying his thoughts and ideas through narration (which will be shown in bold/italic, just Mr. Riddick thinking out loud) so be prepared. Getting into the mindset of the Riddick characters is a fun process.

Synopsis….There is a planet, far off in the distant reaches of space, a world known as LC-236 (Lost Colony). It has made a good hidey-hole for a certain individual for several months now. Someone who had wanted to remain hidden from the _Necros_, but now doesn't care anymore if they know about him or if they come (or anyone else,) he is ready. He sent out a beacon, from his transport, a telegraph seemly that was more of a whisper than a shout, but he knew that certain individuals would be looking, and would find it. First would be the bloodhounds, they always seemed to have their noses up someone's ass….

******************** The Bait ********************

"_**Bloodhounds…..I always knew when they were coming, I could sense it. Bloodhounds…. mercenaries, bounty hunters, guns for hire, whatever you wanted to call them, they were bloodhounds to me. Hot on my trail, scouring the universe to pick up my sent. The thing is, and what I find amusing….was when they found me…. It was a moment of spectacle. Yeah, it really brightened up my day, made me feel like queen of the prom or something, you know, like when everybody wants you because you've become most interesting…. (laughs).**_

_**Bloodhounds, how did I know that they would soon find me? Well, one reason may be that I had let it be known where I could be found, and secondly, I knew how they operated. Yeah I knew all about bloodhounds, their manners, their methods… why, because I used to be one myself."**_

She was sitting at a small unwashed table in the middle of a dive that was, as raunchy a bar as could be spoken of. A sleaze-pit that was considered to be a blemish on society, a stain on a planet where not even your average cockroach would venture to be seen (for reasons of humility), and, this world really had no reason to describe itself as such (as a planet).

She sat there, alone, drinking her label of choice from a bottle that was almost empty. She felt discussed by this hole-in-the-wall establishment that she found herself in, but she was here by choice, of her own accord (just as she had been for the last three nights), rather than by persuasion.

This pit of inhumanity would have not been on Johns' list of choice places to frequent, had he been with her, but the simple truth was…. he was not.

Her boss had gone off on some pilgrimage to find the body of his deceased son, maybe to give it a decent burial or something, whatever? Anyway he had left her in charge of the ship, their ship, and its crew. She felt honored, being left in command of a vessel which sported a total crew of three, well two now since Johns had gone, (post thoughts as sarcasm). However, that was all that remained after their last mission, months ago, a mission in which their original parameters had been to recover the renegade Richard B. Riddick…..which had happened, but not actually.

Things hadn't gone as planned, but in a universe, where nothing is fair, if one was able to do this kind of work and remain living for two years, one should consider themselves lucky, or blessed if you were a believer in an afterlife.

The woman giggled to herself as she brought the glass up to her lips…..and finished the last swallow.

Riddick, yeah, that man had a way of getting underneath a person's skin. She knew from personal experience. Still, it was an experience that she wouldn't trade for the universe.

Riddick was the type of guy that made people think twice…..consider their souls. He even had caused Johns to dump his unscrupulous ways and cause him to consider the alternatives of an afterlife. To think outside the box, consider ideas about his family, and what may become of his son's soul post mortem (isn't that the way that parents think, to envision an afterlife past the importance of their own skin, to concern themselves with the fate of their off-spring?).

Johns had never been a religious man, not before, but Riddick had caused him to rethink his priorities, focus more on what comes after. Seeing the death and carnage on that God-forsaken rock just a few short months ago had changed her boss, had made him more ethical, and as ethics go, as a pirate Johns had had more ethics than most. It was the reason why she had joined up with him and had remained.

Now he had left his ship for reasons to travel to a world where Riddick had said that the body of his son could be found, and recovered. This meant that his son's soul may be brought to peace, a peace that his father was determined to give him, and provide his own self with closure.

There was one thing that Johns had wanted from her before he had left this planet, a new mission, a new duty, find them a job. Sometimes those weren't easy to come by out in the universe. Sometimes it took months. A bounty hunter or pirate could starve to death if they weren't diligent or on their toes looking for work, and it was the reason why she found herself here…..

**The Starlight Mission**, a humorous play on words actually, the name of this bar, in this forsaken part of town. Not the kind of establishment that appealed to the upper crust of society, still, it was a place to seek information, scuttle-butt on what was going on in the cosmos. A place most people would not want to be seen dead in, much less being there for other reasons.

That would not stop her from enjoying her drink, or accomplishing her goal. Her duty had been to find another job, and as she, and the other of her group, existed on the rim of the civilized universe, because of their trade, it sometimes took them to shit-holes like this.

The woman looked around the room. There were plenty of men around, men she'd seen on previous nights, men who knew to leave her alone if they wanted to keep their balls attached. Still there was one that she didn't recognize, a newcomer. One who must have arrived on world only that day? He kept looking at her, glancing in her direction, (as if he had a chance). She kept baiting him though, allowing him the idea of promise that he could get some play. What an idiot, a looser, but she wasn't done with him yet. She would permit him to enter her space, and if he had a job (not a blow-job) that she considered interesting, then they may make a connection, a business connection only, mind you.

She looked over at him (with his furry sideburns) with eyes that spoke that she was available. He walked over and sat in the chair across from her.

"Good evening sista, kinda lonely in this part of town."

Who was he kidding? There were twelve goons for every maiden at this bar. Was he blind or over confident in his abilities to sway the fairer species?

"Yeah, I can get a little lonely, for the right person," she spoke.

"Look doll, how about you and me get together for a little undercover operations, get my point, or should I rephrase, get my point into you?"

That smile of his was the sleaziest she'd seen on this planet. What a shit clod…..this fellow, still he had been able to succeed where others had not, lose her interest in two sentences.

"The name is Dahl, and I don't screw men….."

The guy's stupid grin never left his face.

"I thought as much," he said.

He took a sip from his own drinking glass, arose from the chair he was sitting, and was gone... however, immediately another person zoomed in to take his place, a girl, a woman, and she looked as rugged and interesting as Dahl herself. She looked eye to eye with the freelance mercenary, brought her own drinking cup up to her mouth and took a deep swallow. She placed her glass down upon the solid table.

"You and me in the alley in five," the woman spoke," I've got a job for you," she seemed more interested in making a connection, rather than making a hook-up. The woman then stood and left the table.

Now this was interesting. What kinda job was she hinting about? Could be that she was just the lure, the bait to get Dahl outside, however, this didn't frighten the mercenary; she had broken the noses of many people that didn't show her respect, some of them women, and she was well capable of taking care of herself. Johns wanted her to find them a job, maybe this was it? After the woman had gone Dahl contemplated what she had said. Could be that this was a legitimate undertaking, or could be that it was a trap? She would never know unless she pursued the lead.

Dahl arose from the table, checked her weapons (even the hidden ones) and looked around the room. Mr. Sideburns was gone too….may he was the kind of guy that just liked to watch, she grimaced.

"Pervert, but I'm OK with that," she spoke, and then headed out the door.

END PART 1


	2. Chapter 2

Riddick: Bloodhounds 2

Chapter 2: Bars, Brothels & Barrels (Gun Barrels that is)

Dahl is a mercenary with a conscious, and notably standards (just as Boss Johns was presented to be in **Riddick: Rule the Dark**).

Johns ran his crew of bloodhounds with discipline and a moral code….. not your average group of bounty hunters do you think? Anyway, maybe they didn't start out as such, his crew, at least when it came to tracking down a man on a lonely planet that was known to be an escaped convict and a killer, but things change…. and some lives are found to be worth saving (while others are not). There was an individual found on that world that had proven to be someone was worth rescue, even though it would have been ceremoniously easy to let him die. Ironically it had been the soul the Johns had set out to capture...

**Riddick**, a short time ago...was a person unknown to Dahl, now she thought about him sometimes in her moments of solitude, or dreamed of his face sometimes when her head hit the pillow at night.

Just as Dahl held Johns on a higher level of respect, she now held a degree of the same towards a man she had pulled from the grasp of _Mud Beasts._ And although their paths may never again cross, he still held favor within an intimate place inside her, a place that spoke that he would always be seen as special...

******************** B, B & B ********************

Dahl had stepped out of the front doors of the _**Starlight Mission**_. Not the coziest of places for a woman to be, but Dahl was par not your average woman…. and she had not come to the bar to snuggle up to man nor woman, and she had not come to make friends. She was there to seek an employment opportunity, as instructed by the Captain of a vessel she'd been a crew-member of for some time now.

Find them a job, that is what he'd placed as her task, and maybe she had.

She looked up the street one way and down the street the other. It was dark, very dark out here in the open… the evening had come and gone and there was little left of the passing day except for the heat. It was dry, hot and dry, but not unbearable, and the warm air was tempered with the smell of many things.

Dahl studied the road and the surrounding area, the street was lined with old rundown buildings, desolate shacks and gloomy alleyways…. on both sides. There was just enough illumination coming from streetlamps fifty feet in either direction to allow her to see that the avenue was empty, empty of any living soul with exception of a barking dog and two _ladies of the evening_ (waiting on the steps of the _**Brothel Barn**_ just opposite the bar she had exited).

Dahl grinned at the satire of it all, ironic wasn't it, on one side of the street there was a place calling itself _**the Starlight Mission**_, and on the other, one named the _**Brothel Barn**_. Dahl thought for a moment, _only on the edge of the galaxy could the humor be seen in this_.

She turned and began walking down the street to her left. As she made her way she could see ahead a dark alley. She assumed this was where the mysterious woman had wanted to meet, all the while of her stroll... she had been badgered by the ladies across the way. They beckoned her to join them for a fun time; she laughed a bit, but continued on with her mission.

When she reached the entrance to the alleyway there was just enough light filtering over the tops of the surrounding buildings to allow her to see that the area wasn't completely dark. There was light filtering through gaps, and over the rooftops of some of the smaller dwellings (coating much of the alley was in shadow), but she could still see. Also, halfway down there was a small lamp fastened onto the hard stone just above a doorway, a doorway that was closed and barred shut. But it was what was standing next to that doorway that caught her attention. There stood a woman, the same woman who had informed her moments prior about a possible job opportunity.

The woman was leaning against the stone wall, arms at her sides, with the smoke of a casual cigarette drifting up from her hand. She never looked in Dahl's direction but it was a sure bet that she sensed the mercenary's presents.

Dressed in military style pants, with plenty of pockets, and a dark tank-top shirt, Dahl could see a thin layer of sweat which had formed across her skin, some of the perspiration had pooled near her collarbone and was now racing down the valley between her chest...

_"Sexy"..._Dahl had thought, "_She had sure made herself look inviting"_, but as lures go, Dahl could defiantly smell trap coming off this tryst. Still, the mercenary was in the mood for a little action.

Sitting inside the _**Starlight Mission**_ for the past several nights had frosted her adventurous side, and she was ready for a little entertainment, a little release of tension mind you, even if that tension was released in the form of a back-alley brawl.

Dahl began walking towards the woman with a slow and steady stride. She was cat-like, all spring-coiled and ready to be sprung. When she reached the woman she stood there for a moment in front of her…..

"You wanted me to meet you here….."

Before Dahl could finish and before she could react the woman flicked her cigarette away, grabbed her by the arms and switched their positions. The move was so swift, so sudden, that it almost seemed violent. Dahl now found herself with HER own back against the wall. The woman hadn't spoken a word, only leaned in close to her, so close that her lips were a mere inch away from Dahl's own.

There was a moment of pause between the two of them...

"So, you like it a little rough, do you," Dahl asked? However she remained ready for anything.

"Where is he," the woman suddenly questioned?

Dahl was stunned…..

"Where is who?"

"Riddick…."

"I have no idea who you're talking about."

The woman looked deep into Dahl's eyes…..

"I think that, that may be untrue," she spoke. She turned her head slightly to the side, "Toombs, get over here! I'm not into torture, but I know that your sadistic soul likes to see people bleed….she's all yours!"

And with that Dahl felt a gun barrel being pressed against her temple.

******************** Luna ********************

"So sweetcakes, you don't do men, well, how about I do you….right here in the head you teasing bitch, or, maybe I'll give you a reprieve if you can tell us where we can find Riddick."

Toombs had moved around to the front of Dahl, and the gun was now pointed straight at her head.

"Like I explained to this little duckling here...,"Dahl eyeballed the woman standing only a few feet away...

"That would be Eve," Toombs explained.

Dahl's attention returned to the man in front of her...

"Like I was telling Eve, I have no idea who the two of you are talking about," she attempted to pan off the lie. And a lie it was, she did know Riddick, but in truth, she had no idea where to find him.

"Well that's where we think you're trying to pull a _hell hound's_ wool over our eyes, see little darlin..."Toombs spoke, "there's one in your group that has been shooting off his mouth around _Merchant's Square. _He's been saying that he'd come face to face with the fugitive only a few short months ago and had stared him down."

"Luna," Dahl spoke aloud, although she hadn't meant to.

Toombs smiled…a wide grin showing all of his teeth.

"Yep, seems the kid has spoken about Riddick a time or two while buying fruit in the produce market... my man Bugs tells me, and although Bugs is not the smartest member of my crew, he has heard me curse that name ten thousand times. He just wasn't smart enough to follow "_Luna_" back to his lodgings. That's where you come in. Someone said they'd seen the two of you together, and they knew that you sometimes hung-out here at night," Toombs paused for a moment, then continued...

"So, what'll it be Dahl, you tell me where to find that no good scoundrel that left me on Crematoria pinned in an animal cage between two _Hell Hounds_, or would you prefer tomorrow that your body be found here... with your brains plastered against the wall? I've got a score to settle with that guy, and I'm not beyond torture to get that information or blowing your brains out if I don't."

END PART 2


	3. Chapter 3

Riddick: Bloodhounds 3

Chapter 3: The Tech Guy

Story- Toombs holds a certain individual hostage, and he is ill beyond using her as captive to get what he wants. And what he wants is revenge, revenge against a man who stuffed him into a crate and left him as a plaything for _Hell Hounds _on_ Crematoria_. If it hadn't been for Eve Logan, and a few others from the prison on that world, he would have likely died in that cell from starvation, or worse, as meal- chop for the beasts that were caged on either side of him.

Toombs may be a man of simple intuition, but he is by no means a person beyond ill regret. He cusses himself every day for not putting a bullet into the brain of a man who has cost him so much….._**Riddick**_.

_**Riddick **_is a man that may seem as a _**god**_ to some, but in this regard….. The bounty hunter Toombs is here to stake claim that Riddick is no god, only a mere mortal, a mortal with extreme abilities for sure, but a mortal just the same. And Toombs' plans are to collected bounty on Riddick. He wants to deliver the man's body to the nearest collective point where he can gather his reward (be Riddick alive or carcass). And also, he wants to show the universe that Riddick is not immortal, that he can be tamed, subdued, or even ghosted.

As stated, Toombs has a score to settle….and if he can make good on this delivery, his fortune will rank among the stars….and he will be known throughout the cosmos as "_**The Guy that got Richard B. Riddick**_".

******************** The Tech Guy ********************

Luna was in the cock-pit of a vessel that had become his new home. As he lay on his back (fidgeting with a bunch of wires that hung down like snakes from trees on some tropical planet), he entertained a feeling, a feeling that he was lucky, lucky to have survived the last adventure posted on Santana's vessel, that adventure could have easily gone the other way.

He also began talking to himself, in an attempted to address a problem with one of Johns' vessel's control systems.

"….the yellow wire attaches to the blue, or was it the brown…..damn-it, why can't I figure this thing out," he voiced, almost as a whisper to himself?

More or less Luna had been adopted by Johns, and had seemingly acquired the chore duties of maintaining the technical aspects of the ship. Not a bad deal considering that he could have been shot in the back like he'd seen done (to the woman) by his old boss, Santana, or left on that mud-planet to be torn apart and eaten by _Mud Demons_. However, his new boss wasn't like his old, and the young Luna was a bit more appreciative that Johns seemly had more scruples in his little finger than Santana had had in his whole body.

Luna was mulling over the problem he was having with the connectors under the cock-pit console when he thought that he heard a voice call from outside.

"Hey tech guy, you in there!"

Luna began to ponder the idea if he was hearing things, or if someone was actually trying to get his attention?

"Hey, nerd-hole, I'm talking to you!"

Luna eased himself from under the console and stood looking out of the window, what he saw stunned him into reality. There, in the illumination of a spotlight that seemed to be totally focused upon them, stood Dahl, with a man standing behind her, his arm wrapped around her throat and with a firearm placed to the side of her head.

"That's better," the guy spoke, "…..now look here I.N. Stein (what he had likely meant was Einstein) you're gonna open that door and let me and my friend here in, comprende? We are gonna come aboard and have a little chat, you ducky with that?"

Luna could see that Dahl's eyes were wide open, yet he was aware of no fear in them. Hell, he'd have craped his pants by now!

Luna didn't speak, but he did acknowledge that he had heard, and understood. In two minutes the ramp to the ship was down, and the man, with his captive, stood waiting outside.

"Very intelligent decision by you Tech Guy," Toombs said.

Luna had noticed then that there were several others in faction with this renegade, six in total not including Mr. Smartmouth. They began marching up the ramp and entered the ship.

******************** Worms in the Bulkhead ********************

Once inside, Luna became privy to what these bloodhounds were after.

"So Tech Guy….."

Johns' newest recruit was becoming a little tired of being called that.

"It's Luna, my name is Luna," he voiced, with a little irritation.

Toombs laughed….

"….so Luna, it's to my understanding that you've met up with Riddick, and stared him down, kinda ballzy for a kid so puny. Tell me, what's the secret to putting fear into the "_shines_" of that killer?"

Luna could see that maybe he'd yanked his own chain a bit too zealously (folk overhearing him boast in the marketplace) and it might be a better route for him to come clean at this point, explain himself more thoroughly.

"Well, actually, I didn't _stare_-_him-down_, truth be told," Luna began, "when I first came in contact with Riddick, the light overhead may have been a little sensitive for his taste, he may have lowered his gaze just to avoid the aggravation it was causing his eyes…. rather than me actually staring him down, that part might have been a bit of an embellishment in my regard."

Luna was hoping that his admission would satisfy this crew of unsavorys and cause them to be on their way. Hopefully they could tell that he had actually had been no threat to the convict; he was hardly a match for Eve Logan. However, it didn't work, not a one of them made a move to exit the craft.

Toombs marched up to him….

"That's sweet; you confessing your truths to me, like I was some kind of Iman or something. But I could tell from first sight of you that…. had Riddick wanted, he could have eaten your liver for breakfast, and fed your soul to the locus. No, the real answer that I want from you now is, where to find him, and that my friend is something that I know you seem very capable of being able to do."

******************** Using the Tech Guy's Savvy ********************

Toombs knew very well…. that every ship (that had ever sailed the cosmos) had a Tech Guy …_Excuse the obvious gender slant_, let me rephrase, Tech Person.

A man or woman who were kind of book nerds or technical geeks, whatever title given to them, there was a person onboard who was able to dispel the common issues that plagued a vessels' control systems out in the deep void of space (kinda like a shade tree mechanic if you will). If a ship didn't have a specialist of this sort on board, then it was a sure bet that they would meet their demise at some future time out in the vacuum of nothingness. Therefore, every Captain that ever sailed _**the Dark Sea**_, had this kind of person at their call, and a really good **tech** was nearly worth his or her weight in gold.

Luna had been the tech support for Santana, but now… had become the tech person for Johns, and as such, he likely knew the beacon code that was embedded within Santana's old pirate vessel. A transponder source which would show the location of the ship Riddick had taken, once he and Johns had parted ways.

Toombs wasn't your smartest pirate or bounty hunter, yet he was a seasoned Captain, a man who was well versed in the protocol expressed by vessels flying out in the _Deep_.

Toombs knew that there was always a program somewhere that pinged transponder nodes. A way of finding a vessel that was marooned or on some destitute world, yet there were tens of thousands of these broadcasts every day, way out on the edge of space. The majority of distress calls or source beacons were ignored, the mindset behind this was that…. _every ship that had a flat tire and pulled over to the nearest moon, better have someone on-board to fix it, if they didn't, then they were mostly likely, shit-outta-luck_, metaphorically and figuratively speaking.

That was the reason that most vessels flying in the universe were seemingly like their own little community, they had their own tech person, med-doc, cook, captain and security team, some crew-members doubling up on their duty for extra pay.

And it was post knowledge known by pirates and bandits that frequented the cosmos….. if there was a distress signal received, that it was usually broadcast by some poor family of pilgrims marooned somewhere and in need of rescue. The pirates or bandits would mark the spot and return to it later, whenever the poor souls had run out of O2, or starved to death. This way the scoundrels weren't actually committing murder, the people they were stealing from were already deceased, therefore they were only plucking the booty from the dead, becoming grave robbers of a sort. Which was highly unethical….. but not totally against universal law.

Like was said, most transponder signals were ignored, but there were some that were viewed with interest.

Usually each pirate or bounty hunter Captain had their Tech person rig up a secret signal beacon, a code known only to themselves and their crew, as to find their own ship should it become lost or taken from them. Toombs knew that Santana had likely posted Luna to do this; therefore there must be a way of finding his old spacecraft, and this is what he would do to get back on Riddick's tail. However, Riddick was smart guy, intelligent enough to post under the radar. When he did send out a beacon, he knew that it would only be picked up by the most curious, the persons looking for it. He felt confident that only a handful of bloodhounds would receive his broadcast and know what it was.

He had also found Santana's secret transponder node and disabled it, but now, three months into his stay on this world, LC-236, he was ready to leave, the thing is, he wanted a new ride, and if one was going to be a car thief, be imaginative; steal a different make and model.

Riddick knew the bloodhounds were coming, he had told them to.

"_**Murderer, mercenary, bloodhound, escaped convict, soldier, bounty hunter, pirate and Lord Marshal of the Necromongers. My list of credits grows longer every day, I may have to start a new list…. and now add car thief to it. Maybe I shouldn't do that, steal someone else's spaceship, could get me in trouble with the law (laughs)." **_

Riddick's thoughts were amusing at points, he even humored himself sometimes.

END PART 3


	4. Chapter 4

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 4**_

"_**Becoming Acquainted"**_

Author's note: Cast members- Richard B. Riddick, Toombs, Dahl, Luna & Eve Logan, with new players-Bugsy Benjamin, Lee Davies, Miranda Goff, Slink Williams, and Foster Mead.

_************ "Becoming Acquainted" ************_

Toombs stood outside the nose-cone of Johns' vessel. He had already spoken to Luna…..and had assigned "_the tech expert_" the duty of pinging the transponder node to Santana's old space-heap (under the threat of shooting Dahl if he did not comply), and, the _Bloodhound_ now, was awaiting Luna's report. This was how he planned on tracking down his old adversary, _**Riddick**_.

Toombs would use the transponder code to triangulate Riddick's last known position….it would post a starting point for his search, and it would give him, and his crew, Riddick's latest known location.

As he stood there…. looking up at the nose-cone of his newly acquired spacecraft, Toombs was thinking out loud. He more considered that this spacecraft; the _"Blue Eyed devil" _had the wrong name. It might be a name familiar to the escaped convict (should they make landing on a planet where he was hiding). The name may cause him to become alarmed.

Toombs was trying to think of a better name, something more serene, more tranquil. Something that was less likely to gather Riddick's interest or attention, something like, the "_**Fairy Godmother**_" now that would come across as seemingly unthreatening …..Toombs laughed.

"Yeah Mr. Richard B. Riddick, when I catch up with you, I'll soon put your ass again in chains," he paused, "as soon as I get your location, and rename my new ship."

_He recalled that… upon his last trip to Crematoria, he had convinced himself that the ex-con had been secured adequately. Well chained inside his vessel, he had felt confident that Riddick could not have escaped his bonds. Now, Toombs realized that he had been wrong. Riddick could have easily freed himself and strangled every one of them in their sleep. He had underestimated the convict's strength, agility and cunning. This time he would not. He didn't intend to make the same mistakes twice. He would steal Johns' ship, rename it, capture the ex-con, and hope that Riddick didn't see any of it coming._

Dahl, who was standing beside Toombs (held captive until Luna completed his mission), voiced her opinion in this matter….

"I don't think that the Captain of this vessel would like that much," she spoke, "you taking his ship while he's away."

Toombs looked at her…

"You can say his name toots, I know that this vessel belongs to Johns. Me and that renegade have been after Riddick for years. We sort of have a gentleman's agreement if you will, or if you prefer a mercenary's competition… which one of us will get to him first and claim the reward?"

Toombs stopped; he was wandering how much of his plan should he reveal to this rival mercenary, after all his idea was to take her along. Unbeknownst to them, Dahl and Luna were joining his crew, at least for a while. The question was how much should he let her know? He continued….

"I now have a personal vendetta against the man, a grudge, wouldn't bother me one bit to take his carcass in dead or alive. Don't know what Johns' reasons are for wanting the same, but I assure you that there are hundreds, if not thousands of mercs and bounty hunters out there that would do likewise."

No words could have been truer spoke by a bloodhound than what he had spoken (with the exception of herself, Luna and Johns), Dahl knew that Riddick was high on the list of people that were searching for him and wanted reward money. His ass was as well-cooked as _Bar-B-Qued Hell Hound_ if he were caught by any other bounty hunters. Dahl, (even though it pained her) couldn't have agreed with Toombs more.

Toombs was _"point on"_ that there was a universe full of folk that wanted to hear Riddick was dead, hunted to the ends of the cosmos until his luck had run out. He was the type of person that either brought out the best in a soul, or their worse…..the thing is there were more that he brought out the worse in. Still, in Dahl's mind there was something about him that brought about an idea of honor and respect. It had been the reason that she, Johns and Luna had gone back to rescue him from the _Mud Demons_. There were far too few people around the galaxy with the morals of Riddick.

A grin splashed across her face, ironic that she had expressed the thought of morality and Riddick in the same idea, but the history books were strewn with people that were first, to be considered criminals, and then later viewed differently. Riddick was that kind of person.

Dahl looked over at the man who was planning to steal Johns' vessel. Obviously Toombs was unaware that she and Johns had been in a position to ghost the escaped convict, yet had opted to help him instead, but then, he didn't need to know.

As the two stood there Luna came out of the vessel with Bugsy Benjamin in tow. Toombs looked at his crew-member.

"Get the location," Toombs asked?

"Got it boss," Bugs answered, "tell him kid."

Luna looked at both of them, and then he glanced over at Dahl. His eyes pleaded that he hoped that she forgave him for ratting out Riddick, but she expressed that he was already forgiven.

"You'll find him on LC-236," Luna spoke.

Toombs grinned…he looked over at Bugsy….

"Should I tell them?"

"Sure Boss, let them in on our intentions."

Toombs looked over at his two captives….

"The two of you will be accompanying us on this mission," he spoke, "a little back-up plan should anything go wrong."

Dahl and Luna stood there with their mouths hanging open.

END PART 4


	5. Chapter 5

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 5**_

"_**Splitting Skulls"**_

Author's note: This story work (beginning with the first chapter) weighs heavily upon the fandom of "_**Pitch Black", "The Chronicles of Riddick', & "Riddick: Rule the Dark**_" (I myself have become a bigger fan and have become more influenced by doing the research to have the story become somewhat more canon).

The mythology of Riddick is incredible….However, it is my caution that, folks who are reading this _Fan-Fiction _should be up to par with everything _**Riddick**_, well, at least what has come across the big screen. Anyway, I still hope to be as credible as possible to the faithful followers of the franchise and do the story of Riddick justice. The movies IMO, are truly fun and exciting. Thanx for reading, Z

_**Prologue:**_

"_**Lonely." **_

_**That's what people think when they considered the kind of life I was living…. **_

"_**Yeah, it must be lonely for Riddick, lonely and desperate with having to be constantly on the run, and not be able to enjoy the company of people." **_

_**Well they were wrong. I liked being alone (Solitude has a comfort all its own), and, the truth is, sometimes it felt more lonely for me sitting atop the throne of the Necromongers (surrounded by other Necros), than it did just sitting on a pile of rocks somewhere on some barren and distant planet…..breathing fresh air and with the sun shining down on me. Yes, becoming Lord Marshal of the Necros wasn't the cure-all for loneliness. **_

"_**Well friends then, friends and family, Riddick must feel something being separated from the folks that he loves?" **_

_**Ha..ha..ha.. That's laughable, well, not really. See, truth of the matter was that my entire family had been murdered by the same people that I had ruled over, ironic wasn't it, so there was no family to speak of, and friends, I had had a few, the trouble with that is… they kept getting themselves killed(Kyra I miss you). Hell, I'd even lost the friendship of a beast I'd become attached to recently.**_

_**So if anyone should ask, "where does Riddick find his solace?" well, the answer to that is, loneliness and lonely were buddies of mine, and adrift and solitary were my best friends….hell, I'll even throw in "haunted" as a close acquaintance (laughs)….. **_

_**Riddick**_

_************ "Splitting Skulls" ************_

Luna and Dahl had just been told that they were accompanying Toombs and his crew to LC-236 to find Riddick. Luna had already given them the location of their "_mark_" (where they could possibly find the escaped convict), now, it had become Luna's thoughts that they would be released, set free. However, things don't always turn out as we assume they will, do they?

"Bugsy, get Miranda," Toombs spoke, "the two of you head out to the local market and acquire some paint, we are going to rename this old tug the "_Fairy Godmother_".

Toombs chuckled as he said it. Bugs laughed at his chief's humorous idea, his sense of self-amusement.

It was obviously to the two individuals that were not a part of Toombs' crew that the man held a mystique about him, a magnetic draw that attracted people to him, well, a certain sort of people anyway.

"So, you're gonna rename Johns' ship," Dahl spoke questionably?

Toombs turned around and looked at the woman who would remain his hostage…..

"Yeah sista, I'm going to rename Johns' ship. In my line of work it's better not to travel extended distances toting familiar identity….. we change the names to our vessels like a six minute prostitute changes clients," he laughed.

Bugsy Benjamin (who had remained around) laughed all the harder.

Dahl thought, "_Toombs always did have a way of expressing himself, crude and degrading though….. would be the claim, what an asshole_."

"Now get going Bugs, find Miranda and get the task done," the new captain of the "_Fairy Godmother_" commanded.

Toombs was the kind of guy that could attract a certain class of people, well, let me rephrase that, people with _no-class_, but he wasn't alone. Santana seemed to have been the same type of character. Dahl thanked the gods every day that Johns was the kind of guy that had a bit of culture to him, although she cursed him now for running off. Still, she remained a bit curious why Toombs hated Riddick so much? It seemed to go beyond a hatred for just tracking him down for money. So, what was the grudge? He had spoken about being caged between two _Hell Hounds_, but could that be the only reason why he held such a vendetta? In some manner he had gotten himself free from his confines on Crematoria, still, there wasn't a mark on him, not a scar. So, what was his beef with the ex-Lord Marshal?

Dahl didn't know, but Toombs' and Riddick's animosities extended well beyond the scope of a few years, there was something in Toombs past that he wasn't telling, and Riddick was a part of it.

Toombs had more or less played-off the idea of his luck. He didn't realize how fortunate a man he was. Saved by Eve Logan (after the gun-battle on the scorching planet where Riddick had caged him between two Hell Hounds), the woman had come to his rescue. Eve had found a way to release him from his confines and then the two (along with several others) had made their way up to the surface. There, after a time, they had made rescue (tricked some by-passer into landing and then taking over his ship), and now Toombs had plans on tracking Riddick down, to the ends of the universe if he had to.

Toombs wasn't a man with a lot of pride, but what he did have, that morsel of confidence that gave him some worth, had been stripped away by a "bounty" that caused him to feel less than human. Toombs meant to regain his manhood, and what better way than to have his name engraved onto some bronze plaque somewhere stating that he had been the man that had captured and chained the ex-Lord Marshal?

Toombs was a person with issues, but aren't we all?

"So, your plans are to go to LC-236 and capture Riddick?"

Luna had finally spoken after giving the transponder location of the man they were looking to track down.

"That's the plan," Toombs stated.

"Well, a word of caution to you," Luna informed, "I've seen this man split the skull of someone while sitting chained with both arms shackled to a restraint…and, with almost a dozen people watching. What makes you think can do better with a crew of around the same number?"

Luna's question was a valid one.

Toombs brought his finger up and tapped his temple.

"Because I know Riddick, I know how he thinks and what's inside," he said, "and that may be all the advantage that I need."

END PART 5


	6. Chapter 6

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 6**_

"_**Feelings, Memories, and Faces"**_

Author's note: The story thus far, Riddick continues to think his random thoughts after triggering the transponder beacon he had found on Santana's spacecraft, while Toombs continues to prepare his crew for their journey to recapture the renegade. Also, the individuals who thought that they would be of no interest to Toombs (Dahl and Luna), once he'd learned of the whereabouts of his conquest, were thinking that he'd just let them go. They assumed wrongly…..

_************Alexander Toombs ************_

Dahl and Luna considered that Toombs would just leave them behind, once his pursuit of Riddick began in earnest. Well, their assumption had been a mistake, and now the two had become aware that their release had been, in no regard, a part of his plan. Now they began to wonder what he would do with them.

Alexander Toombs was not an idiot. He knew that leaving Dahl and Luna in his wake could cause problems (they could contact Johns, or even warn Riddick that he was coming). The thought was pure lunacy for him to let them go, an idea of collective stupidity.

No, Toombs, was not an imbecile, not by any regard. He knew how the universe worked. A seasoned mercenary, he was well aware that bandits often times, set out to spoil the schemes of other bandits. If a crew of bloodhounds couldn't gather the swag first, then they would often make sure that competing bounty hunters couldn't attain it either.

The idea of leaving Dahl and Luna behind had never entered Toombs' thoughts. Neither had he expressed to them in any manner that this would happen. His idea was to leave no shoelace untied; Dahl and Luna were to accompany him and his crew to LC-236. And they were, if you will, along for the ride. They might not be fond of the idea, or maybe consider it in sour spirits (as if that would sway his conscious), but they would be accompanying him and his crew just the same. His intent was for them to be present when he again placed Riddick into shackles (a pride thing).

The mere idea of having Riddick back as his prisoner, by his own hand, stimulated Alexander's brain cells (as well as other places), to no end, and having Dahl and Luna be witness to that capture…. Would be like putting icing on the cake.

As hostage, Toombs could rest assured that Dahl and Luna would not turn into rats, punk him out. Having the ex-con unaware that they were in pursuit was a part of the plan that Toombs was unwilling to gamble on. No, the better idea was to have Dahl and Luna join them so the he could keep an eye on the two.

Of course there was another option, but Toombs was no murderer. If he had to shoot someone it was out of self-defense, or if they would not comply with his suggestions. No, he needed Luna's expertise, and Dahl was his leverage if the tech-guy became unmanageable. Besides, he liked looking at Dahl…. She was a feisty fuss.

_************ Feelings, Memories, and Faces ************_

"_**They would be coming for me, I could smell it, sense it…..feel it in my bones the same way a prisoner senses his executioner awaiting outside that cold, solid and rusty prison door. They would be coming, the people ready to deliver my toll. Ready to evoke final sentence upon me come judgment day. Still, the thing that made me different from most, that thing inside my gut that expelled me from the norm, released me from fear…. Was the simple notion that I didn't give a shit. I didn't cringe at the thought of an executioner…..or Death. It didn't bother me that one day my body would be nothing but bones.**_

_**People were fickle; some feared that the known was better than the unknown, that death sent one's soul into the eternal blackness of space and time, the empty void of nothingness… Well who's to say that after death one did not just enter into a separate realm, a new existence? The priests and shamans may have had it right in that regard. Although not a religious man, I did believe that once this life ends there came something after.**_

_**However, in the same frame of thought, that didn't mean that I would eagerly expel my soul from this reality, casually surrender what I knew. I would not sit quietly and take a grasp of Death's hand when he arrived to escort me to **__**Valhalla**__**, or wherever it is that the angel of the nether region takes you…..I didn't work that way. **_

_**Death seemed almost a relative of mine, a relative who had been standing over me since near the day I was born. Almost like an uncle holding vigilance at my side. An uncle who'd planned to kill me, deliver my soul to a separate realm…..wanting to watch as the last spark of my life drain away from my eyes. Someone ready to strangle the life out of me, or slit my young belly and let the nectar of my mother's breast flow out onto the sanctuary of my crib(Zhylaw).**_

_**Zhylaw, future **__**Lord Marshal**__** of the Necros hadn't known that I still drew breath as he turned and walked away, hadn't known that instead of sending my essence to a separate realm he had actually caused my soul to accept the pain and suffering of this universe, the struggle to remain living within the first few hours of my new life.**_

_**Maybe the future **__**Lord Marshal**__** was the one who had given me the will to live, the ability to become stronger? I'm not saying that I owed anything to Zhylaw (anything but a knife to the head… a few grams shy on the backside), however he had, in some regard, shown me a favor. Allowed me to see the cruelty of the universe before I could even speak, although inadvertently. **_

_**Years later I had not sought revenge on Zhylaw, he was the one who had sent souls in search of me, still, when I'd seen what he'd done to Kyra, and had become aware of what the Necromongers had done to my world, it was in my heart to see the Necro religion vanquished, that was, if I didn't die first.**_

_**I had become Lord of their fold, not a position or privilege I much cared for, and had become impotent in my duties. Vanquished myself, I knew that the bloodhounds would soon be on my trail again, searching for me, and I can't say that I blame them. The price that remained on my head was substantial; however, what I can tell you is… I liked my head where it sat, neatly upon my shoulders…..(laughs) **_

_**Now, there was someone about to be hot on my trail again, and I was aware that reward money was not their sole objective. **_

_**Toombs…..Alexander Toombs was coming for me, and it wasn't totally for reward money, or exalting his name among the **__**High & Mighty**__**. It had more to do with revenge, revenge for something from his past, our past, and all I can say is that revenge can sometimes be a cruel and deadly thing."**_

_**Riddick…. **_

END PART 6


	7. Chapter 7

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 7**_

"_**Delayed"**_

Author's note: OC players-Bugsy Benjamin, Lee Davies, Miranda Goff, Slink Williams, and Foster Mead….

"Well, it comes to this…" Z

_************ Delayed ************_

Alexander Toombs viewed the new name splashed across the conical of his recently acquired vessel. He was happy with the way Bugsy and Lee had painted the name on the exterior of the cockpit; it brought a smile of satisfaction to his face….

"The _Fairy Godmother_, I like that." He chuckled, then his expression suddenly transformed into concentrated seriousness….

"Now, in earnest, our adventure begins," he spoke in a whisper, almost to himself. He then turned to address his crew….

"Everyone….proceed up the ramp and get aboard, it's time for us to get this crate into the air and begin the task we've been looking to achieve for so long now!" (*The capturing of one, Richard B. Riddick)

None of his crew spoke out, however, in truth, the thoughts invading their minds (Bugsy, Slink, Lee Davies, Foster, Miranda and even Eve Logan), was the idea that, this was his vendetta, a personal issue which had been on his mind for years….rather than any grievance of theirs. Still, Toombs was their boss, and as such, they would follow his lead.

The anxious _bloodhound_ gazed over at his pilot….

"Miranda, I want a straight course set for LC-236 the minute we hit atmo, understood?"

"Aye Captain,"…. came the response from a woman who'd been locked-up inside a _brimstone pit_ for more than a minute (until Toombs, and his accompaniment of pirates had come along).

Miranda had been an inmate on Crematoria for seven years, and in some regard, resembled Kyra, with the exception of the knife scar that ran from her left forehead all the way across to her right jawbone (not deep, but profound enough to show that she'd been marked). She was slight of stature, just as Kyra, but intense as a _Hell Hound_ when provoked. She could rip-off a man's jewels in a Nano-second, and feed them to the _Hell hounds (pets of Crematoria)_ before the individual really became aware that he'd just acquire the position of soprano in the prison's choir.

Of course that was only a post of humor, there had been no prison choir on that scorched world, and the only singing done, in that god-forsaken hell-hole, might be the singing heard from an inmate as he was being disciplined by the guards for his misconduct.

As far as guard duty goes….If one had been recruited as a guard on Crematoria, then by nature, said person's personality profile likely stated that questionable person had tendencies towards being a sadistic masochist…..which stated that that person was well qualified for the job, and implied that, any "singing" echoing out of the Grand Gallery, could likely be referred to as screams of torture, rather than actual singing.

There had been twelve women in lock-up on Crematoria at the time Riddick had been brought into the underbelly of that confused planet (a world that couldn't decide whether it's exterior surface should be a boiling mass of deep-fried rock, or a polar ice-cube with temperatures so cold as to freeze the wool of a Long-horn Mammoth in ten seconds).

Now, years later, Miranda was unsure if any of her cohorts remained. There had been another girl, Kyra, who had gotten out with Riddick, but as to what had befallen her, or any of the other women, Miranda remained unsure of their fate.

The female convict had joined Toombs' crew once Eve had freed him, and they together, with several others, had reached the surface of the docking port above. It was then, hours later, that Toombs had convinced a supply ship (falsely conning them into believing that the Triple-max prison was in need of water), to land. Toombs had commandeered the vessel and set out to regroup and lick-his-wounds, so to speak. His anger to exact revenge on the man who'd put him between two caged animals was something that Toombs didn't hide well, so Miranda, Bugsy, Slink, Lee Davies and Foster Mead, never brought up the escaped convict's name. Even Eve, the person who'd been with Toombs the longest was shy of saying the name "Riddick" in front of her boss. It would set him "a-frenzy" sometimes.

Toombs' pilot sat at the controls of the "_Fairy Godmother_", ready to start the engine and achieve orbit. The wires under the control panel (where Luna had been working when they'd first arrived with their hostage Dahl) were back in order, and as she hit the start switch to ignite the engine, she was happy to feel the vessel come to life….but her happiness was soon soured, the vessel's engines quickly bugged-out, shut-off as if starved for fuel.

Toombs was in the cock-pit with Miranda when this situation presented itself, he ordered her to attempt a restart….. She did, but the same thing appeared to happen. The ship shut itself-down mere seconds after it was drafted.

Toombs was furious. He pulled out his weapon and headed straight for the cargo bay where he knew Dahl and Luna were being guarded by Slink.

"What did you do to sabotage my ship," Toombs shouted when he confronted Luna sitting in the cargo hold peaceful as a kitten?

"I did nothing,"…. came the technician's answer, seemingly surprised at the accusations, "I was in the process of upgrades when you showed up with Dahl. It isn't my fault that this old tug isn't straight off the assembly line. You should be the first to understand that vessels, such as this, end up in the hands of mercenaries and bloodhounds because they are ready for the scrapheap. Rejects from other lines of business, and are rigged together with parts just to keep them flying. Parts that are, not always totally compatible. I'm sorry if the "Blue-Eyed Dev….., I mean, the Fairy Godmother, isn't up to your liking, but it's an older spacecraft, a work in progress," Luna paused a second before adding his final say, "…..besides, you chose us remember….we didn't chose you."

It was the first time Dahl had actually seen Santana's old crew-member show a bit of a backbone. A smile creased across her lips, she was impressed with the young man.

Luna's admission made sense to Toombs, but the mercenary wasn't happy that his mission had been delayed, not when he had been so close to lift-off.

"Well, what's wrong with it," Toombs questioned?

"I don't know, I wouldn't know that unless I'm allowed to complete a diagnostic," Luna replied.

Toombs thought about the idea of Luna running scans of the ship. The Tech Guy could either solve the problem or make things worse, still what choice did he have?

"Well, get to work then," Toombs spoke, "and remember… any funny business and I'll swim a bullet through your partner's head."

He again placed his weapon to Dahl's temple, she cringed; she was becoming a little frustrated being the bloodhound's leverage.

_************ Ride ************_

In forty-five minutes Toombs had his answer as to why the "Fairy Godmother" would not lift off. Luna had informed him that the transfer-modulator drive (a part about the size of a milk container), was likely the culprit, and from his assessment, looked to be the original part that had been installed within the ship upon its assembly.

The "_transfer-mod_" had likely seen better days, and was now ready for the junk-heap. From the outside it looked fine, yet what the inside of the modulator looked like was anybody's guess. The mechanism could possibly resembled a steaming bowl of spaghetti.

"So, what do we need to do to repair it," Toombs asked?

"Get a new part, or a re-worked one from a scrap-yard," Luna answered.

Toombs was a little skeptical as to if Luna was telling the truth, or if he were lying, but his new "_specialist_" WAS the _Tech Guy_, so the pirate was at his mercy. Toombs did contemplate the idea of what he could do if he allowed Luna to leave the ship. What incentive did he have to keep the Tech Guy from attempting an escape? He still had Dahl as hostage, and usually mercenary team-members didn't betray one another (The trust issue was a big factor among crew-teams, the glue that kept the integrity of the group afloat). It was a bit strange, expressing that pirates and bounty hunters had integrity, but it was true. If there was no trust among a crew, then there was no order of success.

"Boss, I noticed on the grid when you and Eve had gone to that bar to acquire Dahl... that there was an "_reclamation yard"_ just down the road from the Starlight Mission. Possibly we could find an interchangeable mod there," Foster spoke up.

"Good idea Mead," Toombs expressed. "Bugsy, you and Foster take Luna to the junk-yard and get us a new part. I'll stay here with Dahl and see that she remains nice and comfy."

Toombs again applied pressure to Dahl's temple with his sidearm, seemingly to invite Luna as to not try any attempt to escape. The implication being, that should he not perform his task abrupt and diligently, there would be consequences.

The ramp went down and the three men marched off in unison towards the parts yard.

Once the three were gone from sight... Toombs dropped his weapon from Dahl's head. He was about to turn and say something to Miranda whenever Dahl took advantage of his slack in attention. She spun and delivered a punch directly to the nose of the astonished mercenary. Immediately there were four other guns drawn upon her, but not a single shot was fired.

Toombs stood there holding his nose, the red seeping through the spaces between his fingers.

"That's the last time you put a weapon to my head," Dahl informed him, "next time you'd better be ready to pull the trigger, or I won't hold my punches until you're lying on the ground a bloody mess. I'm sick of you threatening Luna with my head."

Toombs didn't become angry from Dahl's assault... he began to laugh.

"Well, well, well…. I WAS right about you. You do have more guts than sense. I enjoy the company of strong women. That's why I have Eve and Miranda as major players of my crew. They are more loyal then the guys, and more trustworthy. The thing is, if you're looking to flex your muscles girl, then that is where I do take issue," Toombs paused momentarily and looked around….

"Right now we have the time to address this new advent (power struggle) and the solution may be in the dallying of… _fisticuffs. _Outside the portal there is the perfect area for a brawlers match. We can see who deserves to give the orders on this boat, and who is just puffing smoke. You defeat me in a slug-fest, and I will not again put a gun to your head. However, if I win, then you'll agree to give me a ride…once we reach orbit, the best that you can deliver, and I don't mean a spaceship ride if you get my drift."

Toombs was so neanderthal, his desires spoke of a man's basic instincts. Dahl found it easy to anticipate his next move. She was in agreement to his proposition.

"So, you want me to screw your brains out should you win," she spoke, but gave nary the time for him to answer, " agreed."

Toombs had that nasty look upon his face, just like he'd had sitting across from her in the _Starlight Mission, _a few hours ago. Toombs was just the kind of guy that was repulsive to Dahl, just as Santana had been. Still she knew she could defeat him, knock his lights out. She looked over at the man that enjoyed playing with people's minds. Dahl kept her expression somber, Toombs had no idea who he was messing with.

END PART 7


	8. Chapter 8

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 8**_

"_**The Challenge: Two People"**_

Author's note: Exploring into the mindset of the players, delving deeper into the thoughts and ideas of established characters from the movies (and also of the OCs of this story arc which were created in the hope of enhancement). I would love to see a Riddick 4 come to the big screen in the near future. I do believe that the story has a lot more telling to be told.

Anyhoo….I've always been curious as to the characters we see created on that big silver window we sit in front of some Friday nights. Their thoughts and ideas, where they come from and how they feel. Writing fan fiction allows me to pursue these avenues, explore a person's inner thoughts. Even though a character's fictional life may last only a brief instant on the silver screen, their life-force can be witnessed by many. I have always been intrigued by the idea of what leads a person to be at a certain place at a certain time (historical documents are filled with such variations)…. And I find such chronicles curiously interesting.

_************ The Challenge: Two People ************_

Two people stood outside the loading ramp of the _Fairy Godmother_, two people who were a bloody mess…

Not that there wasn't good reason for them to be in such condition, or that any of the spectators encircled around them would question the reason why they looked as though they'd been through a whirlwind. But rather, the thoughts going through the minds of Toombs' crew were as such, that this battle had lasted long enough.

For over thirty minutes the two had dueled…thirty-three to be exact. Thirty-three minutes of flying fists, knuckles bashing into faces and punches to the midriff. Thirty-three minutes of kicks to the groin, hammer punches to the chin and smacking fists to ribcages, and still, it seemed that neither Dahl nor Toombs were ready to cash in their chips.

Stubbornness…. pure unadulterated stubbornness, this was the idea coursing through the brains of, Miranda Goff, Eve Logan, Slink Williams and Lee Davies. All were thinking that they were tough, each one of the combatants points had been proven, so one of them should lay down arms.

With Toombs, his crew had become used to the idea that their chief was headstrong, headstrong with a slight touch of arrogance. However, when it came to Dahl, the woman was still a mystery of sorts. What kind of person displays reckless regard after having a gun placed to her head? It implied that Dahl could have the character of two different types of people, one, bold and brave, the other stupid, which was she? The signs were evident that both combatants were "bully"…..unwilling to back down until one of them lay face down in the dirt.

Dahl had been right about Alexander Toombs. The bloodhound had been using her as leverage to keep Luna in line. With his years of experience, Toombs had an idea that he knew something about Luna. Toombs was a decent judge of character, and his senses told him that the Luna viewed Dahl with more than just the fondness of one crewmate for another. The lad had a boyhood crush on the older woman, Toombs could smell it. It was amusing to him in some regard and he felt that he could use this to his advantage.

Still, the bout was ongoing, and it was not only about Dahl and Luna, but also the perception of how his crew viewed him, it was about him proving his worth as their leader. Eve, Miranda, Bugsy, Slink, Foster and Lee should not fear him, if there was a difference of opinion from his crew, Toombs wanted to hear it, but he also wanted them to comply with his orders. How could he maintain control if he let Dahl delegate orders to him? No, the solution was simple, nip this in the bud now before the Fairy Godmother was well into space and Dahl presented a challenge to him later.

Toombs looked over at his opponent. Dahl stood there with a trickle of blood leaking from her nose, and also a drop of the red fluid seeping from the corner of her left eye. Still, as bloody as she looked….his appearance was worse. The bloodhound's face looked as if it had been hit with a judge's gavel. He had a swollen nose; busted lip and a whelp the size of a _Hell Hound's _paw just beginning to show around his left eye.

Toombs was beginning to think that maybe he'd made a mistake in challenging Dahl to a duel. The mercenary seemed to have skills that showed an indication of military training. Had she been a soldier at some point? Her talent for combat was proving well adequate to his meet his challenge.

Dahl, having opened up a can of worms, was not the kind of woman that would just let any man push her around, disrespect her or make sport of her without realizing who they were tangling with.

Dahl was a jungle cat when provoked, a panther. Not usually the aggressor and not particularly loud-spoken, she often let men (or other women) misjudge her before playing her trump card (revealing her abilities as a mercenary). Hired by Boss Johns long ago….she did have a military background, a background that provided her with discipline, determination, and the ability to follow orders. However, Dahl would only follow the leadership of someone deserving of her respect.

A sharpshooter, she could easily blast the tail off of a Mud Demon at six-hundred paces, given the correct air speed, wind direction, and a good _spotter_. She could outshoot any of the men who'd been a part of Johns' crew when they had landed in pursuit of the renegade Riddick.

With a temperament that was mostly forthright, Johns' was the kind of guy who was strict (wanting those who worked for him to know their business), but he was also known for being fair, barony and direct. He was the kind of guy that demanded a certain amount of moxie and talent from his crew and loathed the idea that mercenaries should be viewed by the more snooty of society as the underbelly of the universe. Bloodhounds like Santana and Toombs gave his title of "bounty Hunter" a bad name. He valued strength of character over a desire for gain or profit. But still, his lot was no charity organization, they were out to make money. This was the kind of team Johns had established before he set out to find Riddick. Boss Johns was more about the chase and prestige of the capture over the bounty. He often split a successful bounty in four equal shares rather than taking the biggest cut for himself.

Dahl, Moss and Lockspur had served him well, that is, well until they had landed on that God-forsaken planet where the renegade had leached out the alert call. On that world they became acquainted with the man that it seemed the whole cosmos was searching for, and he was not the individual they'd thought they'd find.

Riddick was not the egotistical megalomaniac that Johns had been led to believe he'd encounter. Sure he had been Lord Marshal of the Necromongers, but he had showed no sign that his life should be elevated above others. Johns had misjudged Riddick, and that was the thing about the ex-leader of the Necro religious cult. Everyone who'd been able to hunt Riddick down, were not aware that it had only been possible because he had allowed it, a trick that Riddick often used to mislead a predator, the actual case being the hunter was being hunted by the prey.

Riddick, ex-military soldier, escaped convict, and ex-Lord Marshal had lived to escape that planet, with the assistance of Johns. And out of Johns' and Santana's crews there remained only three individuals still breathing that left that world besides Riddick...Johns, Dahl and Luna.

Toombs was becoming a little weary of Dahl putting up a better fight then he thought possible, he hadn't though it would take this long to defeat her. Of course…..just as Riddick used people's misjudgment of his character against them, Dahl did the same. She noticed Toombs glance over at his weapon which he had discarded (out of a sense of fairness) before beginning this bout. It lay on a piece of equipment just inside the cargo bay of the newly named Fairy Godmother. She could see that he was contemplating the idea that, worse scenario, should he lose, he could still use the firearm to show her who was in control.

Dahl knew that Toombs could reach the weapon before she could stop him, the thing was, she was not totally disarmed. Tucked inside her boot was a knife, a knife well able to cut the throat of her adversary. But there was a problem, there were four others standing around watching this duel, and none of them were in her corner. A question entered her brain, should she defeat Toombs, or should she let him win?

END PART 8


	9. Chapter 9

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 9**_

"_**Pravda: The Pursuit of Satisfaction as well as Answers"**_

Author's note: Introducing a varied tangent into the Riddick universe….Using a bit of "creative moxie" to voice a little backstory between Riddick & Toombs, a bit of speculation and a lot of AU. My motivation is to present an alternate motive as to why Alexander Toombs seems to be in constant zealous pursuit of Riddick, and the answers may have more to do with an act of vengeance rather than just the pursuit of reward money.

Eve Logan has been with her Captain (Toombs) for a long time, still she doesn't agree with every decision he makes. Bugsy Benjamin, Lee Davies, Miranda Goff, Slink Williams, and Foster Mead (all OC) are presented in this story…. My thanks to you for reading, Z

Author's second note: As explained before, commentary in _**Bold**_ lettering is Richard B. Riddick expressing his views in narration, thanks….

_************ Who's Your Daddy ************_

"_**So it comes to this, Toombs being in charge of a bunch of renegades that he's promised a hefty sum of reward money should they assist him again in putting me into shackles. Well, that shouldn't be a problem since I've told them where I was. Toombs always did seem to be after the golden carrot (reward money), as were Santana and Johns, only Toombs' motivation is more in-tuned with Boss Johns' rather than in-line with Santana's. Still I grant that I understand his reasoning. However….. **_

_**Eve Logan, after sparing your life on Crematoria… I was under the impression that you would have left Toombs by now. That you woulda started over with a new career, a new life? I understand that you have daddy issues and want to prove to an overbearing father that his little girl can achieve success all on her own, but if things get rough this time, I'm not sure that I can save you? **_

_**Now Toombs, as often as I've defeated the man I have to admit that the guy does have staying power. When others would have "**__**thrown in the towel**__**", he has remained persistent. And it does seem that his idea is…. not to kill me, but rather, to have me spend the remainder of my years in a torturous prison cell. He could have easily put a bullet into my brain on Helion Prime. But his hatred of me goes much deeper than that….. Beyond the satisfaction of watching me attain an easy death, beyond achieving reward money. No, Toombs wants me to suffer, and it had nothing to do with me locking him up between two Hell Hounds on Crematoria, no, it goes further back… **_

_**Back in my soldering days I had been tasked by a lieutenant to clear a cave of **__**Spitfires**__** on **__**Sigma 3**__**. This I'd done by tossing in a couple grenades. The mission seemed to be a success and the cavern seemed to be emptied of our foe, only it wasn't. The Lieutenant had entered and was killed by a surviving **__**Spitfire**__**. That Lieutenant's name had been Toombs, and as I found out later it had been Alexander Toombs' older brother (Lieutenant Toombs) who had died as a result. **_

_**So now, the younger Toombs blamed me for his brother's death. I took the blame…..only it seems now that I am constantly hounded by Alexander's thrust for vengeance. It's also the reason why he hadn't killed me outright; he wants my soul to suffer. I did harbor a sense of guilt over the event, my lax of judgment had cost a man his life, but I pay for my sins every day. My anguish is enough knowing that, many of the people I've befriended or loved have died on my account, I needn't be reminded. **_

…_**..So Toombs remains determined to track me down, but he won't kill me, not unless he has to. It has almost become a game between us, him chasing me, and me avoiding his capture. Too, I pay him the same respect, I wouldn't end his life unless unavoidably necessary. Pursuer and prey, we perform this lavish dance out in the universe, yet I point to this question, who is pursuing whom?"**_

_**Riddick **_

_************ Who's Your Daddy? ************_

As Dahl and Toombs circled around one another…..like two angry lions, each with a desire to dominate over the other, there came noises from beyond the circle of the light where they were holding their match. Both turned to witness Bugsy and Luna entering into the arena from the darkness.

"What the hell is going on," Bugsy questioned as he made his way into the illuminated circle?

It was obvious that there was a brawl being entertained, the question was why.

"Just a little disagreement being settled among friends," Alexander Toombs told him with that sheepish grin he always wore. As he spoke more blood trickled from his busted lip. Bugsy Benjamin was not happy that his boss looked so beat up…..

Behind Eve Logan, Bugsy took himself as being next in command over Toombs' brood, and he was fairly satisfied with the crew that Toombs had assembled upon their exit from Crematoria.

In that group there was….Miranda Goff, an expert pilot, Slink Williams and Lee Davies, ex-military men gone-bad, and Foster Mead was a celestial charts expert (or a heavens navigator as it was sometimes jokingly referred to), and then there was himself, Bugsy. Bugs was an ex-military man also, and the least moral of the crew. A bully because of his size (near comparable to Riddick), he was under the assumption that…should something happen to Toombs; he would be next up to fill in the gap as chief. There was Eve Logan to contend with, however, and in his way of thinking, Foster, Lee and Slink would not be inclined to follow a woman over a man. It didn't seem acceptable that she could rule over a crew of mostly men (yes there was still chauvinism in the Riddick universe). Not that Bugs had anything against Eve, but he did consider that the only reason she fell in line for being Toombs' second in command was for the simple reason that she had been with him the longest. Also Bugsy knew, along with everyone else that, longevity didn't always qualify a person the ability to lead. The Big man felt that he should take over should Toombs fall….

Giving it a second thought, he considered, maybe he should let Dahl beat the shit out of Toombs. Then he could step in and assume command over the Fairy Godmother. He patted the weapon underneath his belt for assurance.

Toombs turned to Luna who was obviously holding a new part for the Fairy Godmother.

"That the salvage part?"

Luna rushed over to Dahl. He seemed very concerned about her injuries.

"Are you alright," he asked?

She gave him a smile suggesting that she was OK. Toombs again attempted to gain the man's attention.

"Hey, is that the new engine part?"

"Yeah," Luna answered.

Toombs looked around.

"Where's Foster?" He questioned, the two men returning from the salvage yard looked stunned….as if they hadn't realized that Foster wasn't with them.

"Don't know chief, he was behind us earlier," Bugs answered. "He may have stopped off at the brothel just opposite the Starlight Mission. The girls there were offering a pretty decent discount, and you know Foster."

"Crap," Toombs voiced! "Another delay," he paused and looked around, "Slink, you go with Bugs. Find Foster and get him back here, I'll deal with him once we're in the air."

He then turned to look at his pilot Miranda, "Go inside with Luna. Install the part and make sure he does it correctly. I want this beast humming by the time Bugs and Slink return with Foster."

Miranda understood her direction, and she nodded.

Toombs then dipped inside the Fairy Godmother and retrieved his weapon.

"Enough of this bullshit," he spoke, "I haven't the time to deal with you now Dahl,"

He hesitated before continuing…..

"I'll just quote you an old expression that I'm rather fond of, _To them that have the bigger weapons, so say go the rule makers_."

He viewed the expression on Dahl's face, a mixture of distain and repulsion, he then added…..

"You will follow my orders, or instead of shooting you, I'll put a bullet through pretty boy Luna there. Is there an understanding between us?"

Of course there was an understanding. Toombs had now shifted the ball into the opposite corner. If Dahl disobeyed any of his commands, she wouldn't suffer; it would be Luan who paid the price. Toombs was a smart man, and was able to shift gears when necessary. All Dahl could do was follow his bidding, obey his commands or suffer the guilt of having a crew-mate murdered.

"Hey, hold up there Chief…!" came a voice from the darkness.

In a brief moment Bugsy and Slink returned carrying the bulk of Foster Mead. They lay him on the ground at Alexander's feet.

"What's this," Toombs questioned?

"D'know boss," Bugs answered, "Found him in the bushes just a few feet away."

Foster's neck had been convincingly broken, and there seemed to be an obvious bulge in his pants. Eve Logan walked up to the corpse (now laying on the ground surrounded by Bugs, Toombs, and Slink). She spoke her piece...

"Looks as if he still has a stiffy."

Toombs looked down at the man; the bulge seemed to be more in his pocket, rather than his pants.

"That's no woody," the bloodhound announced." Toombs reached inside Foster's pocket and pulled out a gargantuan amount of cash. All who were around the body were astounded by the wad of money held in their bosses hand.

From inside the Fairy Godmother there came a voice over the loud speaker. It was one obviously recognized by Toombs and Dahl and Eve…._**Riddick**_!

"_I'll say it again….Take the money Toombs_."

The three that had recognized the voice stood bewildered, was Riddick here, watching them now? Their question would be soon answered.

END PART 9


	10. Chapter 10

_**Riddick: Bloodhounds: 10**_

"_**Jacklegs"**_

Author's note: "Jacklegs" Chapter 10, final to the "Bloodhounds" story arc. I enjoyed writing the story very much and hope that it was worth a read. My special thanks go to the folk at left reviews (Nic Coay & Guest). I did enjoy getting your feedback…..

Anyhoo, my thanks again to all who have, Faved & Alerted this story, I am truly humbled by your interest.

PS: I'm beginning a new Terminator story arc. If you are a reader of fan-fiction that enjoyed those series of movies then check it out, and as always, if you find fault or enjoyment, I'd be happy to hear. Z

_************ Jacklegs ***********_

As all of them stood there, surrounding the body of Foster Mead…..Lee Davies, who had been standing inside the cargo hold (just feet away from the loading ramp), suddenly felt to the deck of the _Fairy Godmother _(his body taking the shape of a limp noddle as he lay prone on the ship's floor), and there, behind him stood Riddick, brandishing a weapon that had obviously been used to knock Lee unconscious.

"_**RIDDICK**_" Toombs voiced in amazement!

Everyone was stunned by the figure they saw standing there.

"How in the hell are you here, whenever Luna just pinned you on a planet two million miles away?"

It was a question that had entered into the brain of everyone standing outside the hull of the Fairy Godmother, well everyone with the exceptions of Luna and Miranda, who only moments ago had ventured inside to install the new engine part.

The ex-ruler of the Necromongers smiled….

"He pinged the spaceship I had taken refuge on, he didn't ping me," Riddick answered, then continued…

"These alert beacons still work without anyone being on the ship, and they can be activated from a distance by remote," Riddick smiled, he reviewed the man that was seeking revenge upon him (through his dark, light filtering goggles), and Riddick knew that Toombs was only now getting the jest that he had been duped, fooled into thinking that he posted the upper-hand.

"Ain't nothing written in stone that speaks that a man on the run can't be as deceptive as the bloodhounds chasing him," Riddick pause for a moment, then his sheepish grin turned suddenly seriousness, "There is no honor among thieves Toombs, or have you forgotten? You've been chasing me across the galaxy for over a decade now; do you believe that I wouldn't have become familiar with your methods, the way that you operate…. what do you take me for?"

Although Riddick had no actual plans for killing Alexander, or any of his crew, he was there to demonstrate to those who were following Toombs that, maybe they had been misguided, misled into thinking that their chief's motives were mainly about the reward money, and a slight vengeance for getting caged between two _Hell Hounds _back on_ Crematoria_. They didn't understand that Toombs' revenge was not only about prize money…. that it had more to do with revenge for his brother's death.

Riddick looked over at the woman he'd spared up in the _Grand Galley_ of the prison on Crematoria.

"Eve, Eve Logan, I thought girl…. that once I'd spared you, you'd have come to your senses? That getting away from Toombs and choosing a more cleaver path might be your new destiny," Riddick paused, and then added, "…you still have time," he glanced over at the roll of bills still held in Alexander's hand.

"There's enough money in Toombs' hand for each of you to start a new life. Split seven…excuse my dip in calculation (referring to the dead body of Foster that now lay lifeless on the ground) six ways, and each of you can walk away much richer," he stopped. "Granted, it is less than the reward money for bringing in my head, but….it would be better for each of your health to take your cut and still be breathing in an hour, that, rather than the alternative."

Eve Logan blinked; she didn't know how to respond….but Bugsy did.

"And what if we decide not to take your advice Mr. Riddick, what should we decide that taking you head and mounting on our wall as a trophy may prove to be the better choice?"

Riddick looked over at the man who'd spit out the words….

"Well then, I'd take it that you're more stupid than you look."

Bugsy was instantly furious, he wanted to attack Riddick right then and there, but he re-framed from doing so, he'd let Toombs make the first move.

"So, where's Miranda, you kill her too," Toombs addressed?

Riddick returned his attention to the mercenaries' leader.

"I told you, you can split the money six ways, which suggest that she's still alive, restrained at the moment, but still breathing."

Toombs instantly raised his weapon and aimed it at Dahl….

"…Which is less I can say for your partner here, if you don't drop that piece and advance with your hands in the air."

It was like a chess game between these two, each thinking several move ahead. Although Toombs' smile was rather wide, Riddick's became wider. He stretched out his left arm, opened his hand and several bullets dropped from his grasp, all hitting the metal deck below making a "pinging" sound.

"You shouldn't leave your toys lying around Toombs; others like to play as well."

Suddenly Riddick's gun arm swiveled, he pulled the trigger of his weapon blasting a shot directly into the chest of the bloodhound known as Bugsy Benjamin. The man fell to the ground dead even before the dust had time to settle around him.

"WHAT THA HELL! You just shot an unarmed man Riddick! You've just proven my point as to what kind of coldhearted beast you really are! Why, why did you do it?"

Riddick had walked over to the body lying face down in the dirt. With his foot he tested the deceased, making sure that he had taken his final breath. He then turned to look at Toombs. He calmly addressed his question...

"Why... because I didn't like him."

It was a cold answer, and no reason to kill a man…then Riddick spoke again. Use the tip of his foot he flipped the body over. There the weapon that Bugs had held under his belt, and it was firmly held within in his right grasp. His death-grim slowly stiffening around the handle and trigger.

"…..besides, he wasn't as unarmed as you think."

Just then Slink Williams hit the ground. Everyone turn to see Dahl rubbing her clenched fist.

"Didn't think that you were gonna leave me out of the party now did'ya,"she spoke looking at Riddick? He grinned.

"Well isn't this a cozy reunion."

Riddick again turned to face the bloodhounds' leader. This time Toombs was armed with a loaded weapon, a weapon he'd taken from inside his right boot, and again had it was pointed at Dahl.

"I could have easily shot you Riddick. Put a bullet right through your brain. But I haven't pursued you across half the galaxy for so long that a quick and easy death for you will satisfy my torment. No, I want more satisfaction than that. I want to hear that you've rotted away in a prison cell, that the man you once were is nothing but skin and bones now. That my friend, would make me very happy."

"I didn't kill your brother Toombs."

"No, but your lack in judgment did, and that makes you responsible," Toombs pause for a moment, "…now you can save your friend here (referring to Dahl) if you turn around and let Eve bind you and you continue to follow my..."

Suddenly Toombs fell to the ground, a stain of blood oozing from the back of his head. Riddick looked up to see Eve Logan standing behind the man, a hefty stone gathered in her right hand.

"You haven't much time Riddick. Gather your crew and be gone before they all come-to."

Riddick gazed into Eve's beautiful blue eyes. Maybe she wasn't the woman he had first considered her to be. He had always thought himself a pretty good judge of character, but he could be mistaken.

In a few moments Riddick had gathered his crew and they were breaking atmo in less than ten. He considered the idea...would this little confrontation stop Toombs from seeking him out, he doubted it. Would Eve remain with her Captain? That remained a question unanswered. All Riddick knew was that the cash that had dropped from Toombs' hand (as he hit the dirt) could make her a rich woman. She could buy her a mansion, live on an estate, and have dozens of maids and porters to boss around. If that didn't make her father realize that his daughter was special, and didn't need his approval, then maybe one day Riddick would make Mr. Logan a visit himself, just to clear the air.

The Outlaw smiled as he piloted the controls of the craft. Dahl had received a transmission from Johns. It seemed that he was finished with the mourning of his son and was ready to rejoin his crew. They were on their way to retrieve him now, however, Riddick wasn't sure he was going along for the entire ride. He wasn't good with reunions or farewells...he'd seen too many graves dug to get close to people.

Riddick thought about his life and what could be coming next, it was always an adventure, and he had to admit, one hell of a ride.

END


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